The present invention relates to a device for stimulating venous return in the lower limbs.
It is well known that sitting for long periods of time leads to an impaired venous return in the lower limbs that is expressed, among other things, as local gatherings of blood. This causes discomfort in the form of, for example, swelling around the ankles and difficulties in putting on shoes. However, the effects of long term sitting can be much more serious, especially in the elderly. In certain cases, the sedentary state of the blood (stasis) can lead to the formation of blood clots that can follow along with the venous blood when the person concerned begins to move the legs and this can lead to pulmonary embolism, a life threatening condition. Examples of long term sitting that cannot be avoided are air travel, convalescence or invalidity that makes the person concerned temporarily or permanently confined to a wheelchair.
This blood stasis can be counteracted by moving the lower limbs at regular intervals as the muscles in the leg bring about a type of pumping effect when interacting with the venous valves that act as the one-way valves.
However, moving the legs in an appropriate manner without an aid while in a sitting position is tiring. To make the movement exercises more xe2x80x9cnaturalxe2x80x9d and thus easier and more comfortable to carry out, a number of devices intended for this task have been suggested, among others those specified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,669,744 and 5,035,421 as well as the published German document 27 44 996, WO 84/00695 and the Swedish patent 9502605-0. All of these devices aim to allow the foot to make more or less xe2x80x9cnaturalxe2x80x9d movement patterns of the type dorsal/plantar flexion, possibly in combination with inversion/eversion respectively pronation/supination of the foot.
These known devices are, however, marred by a series of disadvantages that are related to the design or the physiological movement. Only by means of a device that is easy to manufacture and transport, simple to use and that at the same time offers the possibility of exercise movements that are experienced as natural, will users be motivated to take the device with them on, for example, longer journeys, and to perform the exercise movements sufficiently often to achieve the intended effect of promoting circulation and hindering stasis.
One objective of the invention is to thus specify a device for stimulating venous return in the lower limbs that is improved in the ways referred to in relation to the prior art, especially a device that is adapted to allow a xe2x80x9cnaturalxe2x80x9d movement pattern with reference to the physiological movement of the leg/foot and to limit the movement to primarily just this pattern of movement. At the same time, it is possible with the aid of the invention to massage and stimulate the sole of the foot and similarly massage and activate the veins under the arch of the foot, the plantar indentation. It is also an objective of the invention to show design features for such a device that allow it to be executed in a way that is simple, functional and easy to transport.
In accordance with the present invention, a device for stimulating venous return in the lower limbs is specified that in a simple and controlled manner allows a leg/foot movement in three phases; a dorsal flexion phase, a rolling phase and a return phase. The combination of the dorsal flexion phase and the rolling phase results in a movement that is experienced as xe2x80x9cnaturalxe2x80x9d and that stimulates the venous return in an effective manner that is in accordance with the objective.
The device for stimulating venous return according to the invention is achieved by means of the characteristics specified in the claims.